Lifting device.



J. LEDAN.

' LIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 81 918.

1,301,284. Patented Apr. 22,1919.

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INVENTOR @[aww fledmg WITNESSES I WWIB'M,

' ATTORNEY JOSIAH LEDAN, 0F HANNIBAL, MISSOURI.

LIFTING DEVICE.

Application filed May 8, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSIAH LEDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hannibal, in the county of Marion and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifting Devices, of which the following is a specification. v p

This invention" relates to lifting devices, and more particularly for raising and supporting invalids and convalescents above a bed so as to permit the bed clothing to be changed and the bed made up or spread in the usual manner.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character stated of simple construction and operation which may be produced at relatively small cost. A further object is to produce an apparatus which may be used in connection with any bed of standard construction and may be quickly and easily attached to, or detached from, the bedstead. A still further object is to provide anapparatus which will serve to lift the patient and support him comfortably in a reclining position. Fur ther objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention as applied.

Fig. 2 is a side view.

Fig. 3 is an end view.

Fig. 4. is a similar view taken from the opposite end of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken through one of the trunnions.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail View of one of the lifting bars.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the supplemental suspending means. I

The bedstead A may be of any suitable construction and is provided with the head board or frame B and foot board or frame C. Two securing plates 1 and 2 are mounts ed on the head board B, these plates being positioned at each side of the top bar I) and secured in position by bolts 3 which are inserted through :alined apertures in the plates, securing nuts 4 being threadedon these bolts intotight engagement with the outer face of plate 1. These bolts act tosecure the plates in tight frictional engagement with the head board or frame B and constitute, in effect, a clamp. As will be noted more clearly from Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings, two of the bolts 3 are positioned Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22,1919.

Serial No 233,320.

within the cross bar 7), and the middle bolt is positioned beneath this bar, this middle bolt at the longitudinal center of the clamp and the outer bolts being positioned equidistant therefrom. Also, the plates 1 and 2 are of such width as to extend a considerable distance downward about the upper portion of the head frame thus securely bracing the clamps so as to prevent looseness of play thereof. A similar clamp formed by spaced plates 5 and 6 is secured on the foot board or frame C.

The plates 1 and 2 are provided, at the longitudinal centers of their upper edges, with alined arcuate recesses which form bearings to receive a reduced trunnion 7 formed at the end of a winding drum 8 which extends the full length of the bed, this drum being provided at its other end with a trunnion 9ewhich is rotatably supported in bearings formed by arcuate recesses cut in the upper faces of plates 5 and 6. The trunnion 9 is provided at its outer end with a ratchet wheel 10 formed integral there with, a. ratchet 11 being formed integral with trunnion 7. The teeth of these two ratchet wheels are directed similarly, and ratchet wheel 10 is engaged by a spring pawl 12 secured on the upper edge of plate 5' and engaging the teeth of the ratchet so as to prevent reverse rotation thereof. Ratchet wheel 11 is locked against reverse rotation by a similar pawl 18 secured to the upper edge of plate 1. Ratchet wheel 11 is also provided with an integral rectangular finger 1a which extends centrally from the outer face thereof. This finger is adapted to fit loosely through a slot 15 formed at one end of a crank 16. A pin 17 is inserted through finger 14 in front of the crank so as to prevent withdrawal thereof and, as will be noted more clearly from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the outer face of ratchet wheel 11 is rouiided. This permits the crank 16 to be rocked inwardly so aS to bring a stud 18 which is provided at the outer end of the crank in alinement with handle 19, into engagement with the lower edge of plate 1 thus locking the drum 8 against rotation, this locking of the drum being independent of the spring pawls l2 and 13 and ratchets 10 and 11, respectively. The drum 8 is thus supported upon the bedstead and may be easily rotated in one direction, being locked against reverse rotation by means of the ratchets and pawls and, also, by means of the stud 18 so that, by connecting a suit able supporting medium to the drum by means of cables and winding these -,cables upon the drum, a patient placed on this supporting medium may be raised from the bed.

.A suitable number, in this case three, of cables 20 have their upper ends secured to drum 8 at the center and adjacent each end thereof, respectively. Each of these cables has its lower end secured to a lifting rod orbar 21, at the longitudinal center thereof, upwardly inclined bracing cords 22 being secured to the cable at their upper ends and to the bar adjacent theouter end thereof at their lower ends. Each bar 21 is provided, at each end, with a depending hook 22 These hooks are inserted through holes or eyesprovided adjacent the lateral edges of a sheet 23 of canvas or other suitable material. IVhen it is desired to raise the patient, the canvas is placed upon the bed, the patient being then rolled onto the piece of canvas in the well known manner, after which the hooks 22 are inserted through the eyes adjacent the edges of the canvas and the drum 8 is rotated so as to wind the cable onto the same thus raising the canvas sheet 23 and the patient supported thereby. In this manner, the patient may be easily raised while in a comfortable and reclining position, and may be supported a sufficient distance above the bed to permit the same to be changed. After the bed has been Changed, the drum 8 is permitted to rotate reversely so as to lower the canvas sheet, the hooks being then disengaged from the canvas and the apparatus removed from the bed by the simple expedient of removing the central bolt in each clamp which passes beneath the upper cross bar of the head or foot frame, as the casing may then be loosened slightly through the bolts, after which the apparatus may belifted complete as a unit from the bedstead. The patient may then be placed in the bed, the canvas sheet being removed and used in the same manner for a succeeding patient.

To prevent vertical movement of drum 8 relative to the clamp, a light strap 24 is passed over trunnion 9 and has its end portions secured about the upper securing bolts 3. A similar strap 25 is passed over trunnion 7 and secured about the upper bolts 3 of the clamp secured on the head board or frame B. This strap 25, however, has its end portions extended beyond the upper edges of clamp plates 1 and 2 so as to form suspension members 26 each of which is provided at its upper end with a hook 27 secured thereto. In the event that the head board or frame is considerably higher than the foot board, these hooks 27 may engage over the top cross bar of the head frame so Copies of this patent may be obtained for hasto co1nframe and the head frame, this suspended means may be employed to advantage.

WVhat I claim is j 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of elements having alined bearings, drum having trunnions rotatably mounted in said bearings, and ratchet wheel's outside said elements, the trunnion being continued through one ratchet wheel in a finger and the outer side of this ratchet wheel rounded, of a crank having one end pivotally mounted on said finger, a handle at the other end of the crank having a stud projectingin line therewith and adapted fto be engaged beneath the edge of oneof said elements, a pawl engaging one ratchet wheel, and a supporting medium sustained from said drum. 7

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of clamps adapted to be engaged respectively with the head board and foot board of a bedstead, said clamps having alined recesses in their upper edges; of a drum having reduced trunnions rotatably mounted in said recesses, and ratchet wheels outside said clamps, the trun nion being continued through one ratchet wheel in a rectangular finger and the outer side of this ratchet wheel rounded, a crank having a slot in one end embracing said finger whereby it is pivotally mounted thereon, a handle at the other end of the crank having a stud projecting in line therewith and adapted to be engaged beneath the edge of one of said clamps, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, and a supporting medium sustained from said drum, V

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a indlass, and a supporting medium carried thereby; of aclamp for attachment to the foot board ofa bed, a second clamp for the headboard, said clamps having alined bearings for the trunnions of said Windlass, and straps connected with thelast-named clamp and leading upward to hooks for engagement over the upper edge of the headboard as described.

, In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses, this 9th day of February 1918. p v

V I JOSIAH LEDAN.

Witnesses: M

JosrrI-I BAssEN, WINIFRED NEARY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

